Liz
Two weeks later and Liz was still a ghost of her former self. She and Lucky told Nikolas the truth about Aiden's paternity the day after she had told him. She was so numb she didn't react to Nikolas calling her a liar until Lucky showed him the results. She didn't care when Nikolas' heart broke audibly right in front of her. She didn't cry when he cried over losing Aiden that way. All she could think was at least he is alive. At least he would still be able to hold Aiden even if he was only his uncle. It was better than nothing.
Two weeks and she had gotten detached from everyone other than her boys. In those two weeks she had not seen Jason once. She didn't run into him at the pier though she never went there anymore. She didn't see him at Kelly's. She figured he was going to listen to her, and leave her alone.
Steve had told her she could come back to work when she was ready, but when would she ever be ready, so she was going back two weeks after Jake's death. She needed to just get back into the real world. She was ready to get out of the house.
Riding in the elevator up to her floor, she hoped that she wasn't pushing this too soon. She jumped a little when the elevator stopped on her floor, and she slowly walked out. She saw Epiphany looming at the nurse's station, and she prayed she wasn't in a bad mood. She didn't know if she could handle that right now.
"Elizabeth, it's good to have you back," Epiphany declared plastering a genuine smile on her face
.
"Thanks," she replied sheepishly as she started going through a pile of charts.
She quickly got into the groove that was work. She took care of her patients and seemed to forget about her problems for the moment. That was why she was ready to go back to work. She could check her problems at the door, and just focus on something else.
"Elizabeth, good to have you back," Patrick smiled his most dimply smile.
She nodded and forced a smile for him. He had to know it was fake, but he seemed to let it go. Matt sauntered up to the nurse's station with his normal arrogance wafting off of him, but she didn't mind it. He had a right to be arrogant. He was a good doctor that had to live in his big brother's shadow, and it was a big shadow.
"Nurse Webber, it always a good day when your pretty face graces our presence," he flattered shamelessly.
Any other time she would have rolled her eyes and made a smart remark to him, but today she just didn't care.
"Matt, why are you so cheerful?" she asked continuing to work.
"Happy to see you, of course. Why else? It's good to have you back all considered. Oh and I just saved a life. That always makes my day," he replied smiling his best Drake smile.
It was infectious because she actually involuntarily smiled back a little. She had almost forgot what that was like.
"Is that a smile?" Drake noticed.
She shrugged and walked away. She had things to do. The day passed by faster than she expected, and she realized suddenly that her shift was over. She felt a little life in her despite how crappy she felt. She was glad, in the end, that she had come back. Life did seem to go on despite what she had originally thought.
She got her boys and went home to finish the day. She was even relieved when Lucky came to have dinner with them. He brought Siobhan, but somehow it didn't bother her. She hadn't wanted to like the woman in the beginning, but she really wasn't as bad as she first thought and Lucky seemed happy. By the time the boys were asleep and Lucky and Siobhan were gone, she was exhausted.
Sitting in her living room almost asleep there was a knock on her door. Who in the hell could that be, she thought to herself. She didn't think she would have any visitors this late at night. She trudged over to her door and found Matt standing in front of her smiling.
"Another visit? To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked shutting the door behind them.
"I want to apologize if I was too happy to see you today. I was just really glad you decided to come back," he answered.
"Oh, Matt, it's fine. I actually cracked a smile because of your over zealousness. It helped so don't worry about it," she assured as she tucked her legs underneath her on the couch.
"Good 'cause Patrick chided me for my exuberance."
She actually laughed a little, "Patrick is jealous. I faked my smile for him. Yours was a real smile."
He beamed at that, "I knew he was losing his touch. He doesn't flirt like he used to and he doesn't have that magic way the ladies like I do."
"Okay, don't get ahead of yourself."
"Again sorry. It's just nice to do beat him even if it just for once. He's a lot to live up to, and if he isn't bad enough there is my father's shadow. I am truly glad that you are back."
"Thank you, Matt. So where is Maxie tonight?"
"Somewhere with Spinelli doing something crazy or outlandish. I can't keep track anymore. I was just getting off at the hospital and I thought I would come by. I was glad to see your lights were still on. How are you doing?"
"Honestly?"
"Yes, honestly."
"Better than I expected, but I guess it would have happened eventually. One good day after many rough ones. Who knows how I will be tomorrow? But today was manageable. I had a good day with the kids. I had a good day at work. No one died, always a good thing. So I mean I guess it is proof that life goes on."
"Unfortunately sometimes it does. I am sure there will be more bad days. I am glad today was a little easier."
"I guess I have become numb to things. I don't look toward the door anymore expecting Jake to come through the door. It's surreal to not have the constant worrying why he isn't here."
"I can't imagine."
"I wouldn't want you to, Matt. You know that Sam's court date is soon. I am sure there will be hard days there too. And then in May it will be Jake's birthday. That will be the hardest day to get through."
"Well, why don't you do something for it? Not a party. But just something to celebrate his life and not mourn it."
She chewed on that for a moment in silence. It wasn't a bad idea. It would be good to do something happy that day instead of be sad.
"I'll think it over. If I do something like that will you come?"
"Of course I will."
"Good. Wow, that's twice in one day you have made me smile. What's your secret, Dr. Hunter?"
"To be honest, I do not know. I am just trying to be supportive, and I like spending time with you. You are calm compared to the chaos that is Maxie."
She shook her head, "Sometimes I wonder what you are doing with her. Then I remember it is none of my business."
"I sometimes don't know either. Well, I am going to get going. I will see you tomorrow then."
She stood up and hugged him catching him off guard, "Matt, thank you so much. You have no idea how much you help me."
She felt him hug her back tightly before finally letting her go. She watched him walk to his car feeling lucky to have such a good friend in him. It was easy to talk to him. She could talk to him like she used to be able to talk to Jason before everything got so complicated.
Life was just so complicated and it was nice to have a friendship that wasn't even if Matt was with Maxie of all people. She groaned to herself at the thought of it. Matt and Maxie seemed so very opposite of each other, but maybe it worked. She shook her head to get rid of the thoughts of Maxie floating in her mind. She did not want to think about Maxie. She disliked the bleach blonde almost as much as she disliked Carly.
Carly. She hadn't seen Carly since that fateful day in the hospital. She hadn't come to Jake's funeral. Elizabeth figured that she hadn't wanted to leave Josslyn's bedside. Elizabeth dreaded the day she would see that little girl because all she would see is Jake. She would always think that she was alive because Jake had died. Jake had died because Sam had plowed him down.
She hated when her mind started like this. She started feel the anger and hurt whenever her mind allowed her to think about Sam and Jake. She hated even having both them in the same sentence together. Sam didn't deserve to have her thoughts shared with Jake. Sam deserved to rot in a jail cell til old age claimed her, and if that didn't she would be forced to pay for her damages. Liz had already talked to a lawyer, and would be filing a civil suit against Sam within the next few days.
She would not let this just go away, not again. Sighing, she headed towards her bedroom turning off her lights as she went. After her long day, she needed a good nights sleep. She just hoped sleep would come to her, and the nightmares wouldn't.
